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Chilmark Town Column: Feb. 20

Chilmark prepares for yet another weekend storm. This winter continues to challenge all aspects of Island life. The roads, as I write on Wednesday, are cleared down to pavement almost everywhere, but the driveways and side roads are tough. The real problems are the piles of snow that make seeing at intersections difficult. It is just a problem of life, not fixable until a thaw and/or some rain. So far, drivers are doing their best and the mood is cautious and thoughtful. As always, Vineyarders see these moments as a chance to reach out to their neighbors as they always do in adversity. Some driveways are cleared and walks shoveled by un-named neighbors. Some of them find ways to entertain us as the iceboat sailors did last week on Squibnocket Pond. It is a rare winter these days for the elements to coincide to make the sailing possible. However, the blizzard of last weekend left too much snow on the ice to allow for sailing. It was fun while it lasted.

Another little side effect of the continuing snows is the activity of the deer. They are having a hard time finding food and are often crossing the roads at dusk and early dark.

This is the time every winter that I tell you about the winter of 1934 when my mother bragged about driving her Model A out onto Quitsa Pond in the area of Clam Cove. She said that many were skating on that pond that winter as it froze for an extended time. That was 81 years ago. And, no, I don’t remember it. The town report for that year tells us that 31 citizens were paid for snow removal at a total cost of $201.50. The superintendent of highways earned $40, the highest pay, and several earned 75 cents! Jim Morgan will be happy to be reminded that he made $2.50 shoveling snow for the town that winter!

Tuesday morning a U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker came into Menemsha Basin and broke up the ice. The basin was frozen from the Galley out to the channel. It was an unusual sight and the arrival was welcome. Thanks to Katie Carroll who was on the job at Squid Row, some great pictures were posted on Facebook and, hopefully, will be seen elsewhere. Thanks to Katie, I can tell you it was the USCGC Bollard out of New Haven. The Bollard was built at Western Ship Builders in Tacoma, Wash., and was commissioned in 1967.

We all send best wishes for a speedy recovery to Hope Murphy MacLeod. She suffered an appendectomy on Sunday night. We hope she is home and recuperating as we write. Her husband Chris is recovering from open-heart surgery done in late December. They are a resilient family and report that they are managing.

The Chilmark library will host the final Wednesday Chowder and a Movie program. The movie will be The Day the Earth Stood Still and begins at noon.

Does anyone have any town reports from 1873 to 1887? Town hall is trying to complete its collection of reports and is interested in learning if other collections might have those issues. If so, the town would like to copy them to complete its collection. Please call me or the town clerk if you can help.

The Chilmark Community Church had to cancel its Tuesday soup supper this week but is hoping to host the final soup supper on Feb. 24 at 5:30 p.m. at the church hall. The pizza nights will resume later in the season.

John Keene and crew have almost completed the rough-cut road into the new Nabs Corner affordable housing lots on South Road. I am sure the lucky lot holders are eager for spring!

Sorry if I missed any people news that should have been reported. Please email or call me with newsworthy items and I will share them with Chilmark. And, good luck to all of you who plan to venture to the mainland for the school vacation. Have fun and report back!